A Drop in the Ocean
by bellakitse
Summary: She cries in her father's arms, her sobs echoing through the house cutting into the hearts of her family.


Title: A Drop in the Ocean  
>Genre: AngstTragedy  
>Ship: MaddyMark  
>Warning: <strong>Major Character Death<strong>  
>Word Count: 1746<br>Summary: She cries in her father's arms, her sobs echoing through the house cutting into the hearts of her family.  
>AN: This is a pure **spec** story, **not a spoiler at all**, just the product of over thinking and irrational fear. I wrote this to keep my sanity if we're being honest. The title comes from the song I was listening as I wrote this. 'A drop in the ocean' Ron Pope. 2nd note thanks to Crystal for the quick beta, this story is dedicated to her and Emily. My tumblr buds and sobbing companions, our friendship will get us through it bb's.

Companion piece to Crystal's 'Never let me go' which can be read at the Terra Nova fanfiction LJ (link can me found on my profile)

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><p><em>'I was praying that you and me would end up together'<em>

They give him a lovely ceremony, one worthy of a soldier. Terra nova is still in shambles, the road to recovery is going to be long one for the colony and its people but at least they can say it's still standing, their paradise is still protected, a bit tarnished, but protected.

Every person that laid down their lives to ensure Terra Nova saw another day has gotten a ceremony; his is the last military one. She knows while they'll miss all the soldiers now gone, Mark was special to the Commander and his second, making this last good-bye the hardest for them.

She stares straight ahead at their leader avoiding the looks of pity being cast her way. It's a small place and for months her relationship with the young promising soldier was common fodder, everyone knows what he meant to her. She takes a step forward out of reach from her family when her father tries to place a hand on her shoulder. She loves him and she knows he's worried about her but she also knows her sanity is hanging on by a thread and any comfort right now will cause her to splinter never to be whole, not that she ever will be again.

_'I want to declare my intentions for you Maddy Shannon'_

She listens as Commander Taylor goes through familiar words about courage and sacrifice, the man delivers the words as professionally as he has with the other memorials, only once or twice does he pause, his words trailing off, letting everyone who is listening know that this one hits a little closer to home.

His second, Lt. Washington remains stoic to his right, her face like the Commander's and so many others still hold the marks of battle. She watches as the older woman looks at her feet, her jaw working overtime as she clenches it reigning in her emotion. It's no secret that Alicia Washington had a soft spot for him. She had been grooming him to be her second.

'_To court you'_

"Corporal Reynolds gave his life for this place because he believed in Terra Nova and what it stands for, he gave his life for us, for his family," Commander Taylor says, his voice not as strong as usual. She swallows back a sob as the man's piercing blue eyes find hers. She can see the regret, the empathy in his eyes. She remembers the night when he had amnesia and was told his wife was dead, she had seen the anguish in those eyes, the desire to die at the knowledge that his love was gone, she understands his sorrow now. "Reynolds…Mark gave his life to protect what he loved, he is a hero and we will remember him as such."

_'May I have the honor?'_

She stands still as the Commander and Lt. Washington make their way down the stairs of the command center, flinching as gun rounds ring out in respect. She can feel everyone's focus on her again as the Commander comes to stand in front of her and holds out a small black box with a medal in it. She takes it with shaking hands, it's an acknowledgement of his bravery usually given to family and she as his girlfriend was the closest to that. She nods absently as she stares at the shiny medal as the older man gives her his condolences quietly before stepping aside. She looks up as Lt. Washington takes his place in front of her, her strength wavers and her eyes burn as she looks at the woman. Alicia Washington is synonymous with tough in her mind but as she looks at the woman who is swallowing quickly, her own eyes glassy, she looks seconds away from sobbing.

"Mark-He…" The woman clears her throat and looks away from her before continuing, handing her a bag. "He wanted you to have this- in case…he asked me to give it to you."

"Thank you," she answers quietly holding the bag to her chest, the contents inside rattle.

She watches as Lt. Washington opens her mouth and then shuts it tight, nodding stiffly before turning around with military precision, she and the rest of the colony watch the woman walk away pushing past anyone that tries to comfort her, she understands. How can they comfort them when the hole he's left in them is going to stay with them until their final breath?

_'You're prefect'_

The crowd starts to thin around her, it's a sad moment for them but the earth keeps spinning and they can't stand still forever for a fallen soldier.

She wonders how she'll ever move again.

She nods as her mother asks her if she's ready to go home, she ignores the looks her parents and her brother give her, but holds on when a small hand slips into hers. She tries to smile at her sister but ends up biting her bottom lip hard to keep everything inside as the little girl gives her a look too sad and tragic to be on the face of a six year old. The walk to her home is silent and when they get inside no one stops her when she heads straight to her room.

Closing the door behind her, she leans against it, telling herself to keep breathing, just to keep breathing, second by second, just breathe until she survives the minute and then the next. She's been living minute by minute since father walked through the gate bloody and battered with soldiers trailing behind, she stood in the square anxiously waiting to see a tired but handsome face and instead her father stood in front of her with a broken look before he gathered her in his arms, whispering apologies.

_'I said you're perfect'_

Sitting on her bed she opens the small bag Lt. Washington gave her, there are only three small items in it, a video chip, a small black box, smaller than the one where his medal laid and his tags. Picking them up she turns them on, flinching as his picture and his stats appear first, his birthday was coming up soon. Pressing the button it moves on to his medical history, he'd broken his leg once. Pressing again it switches to a picture of him and his unit, his CO smiling with her arm over his shoulder, the next was just of him and Alicia, one of the grandfather he once mentioned but the rest were all of them…of her. One of the dayflowers field before the pulse knocked the systems.

_'I would hide under the table pretending I was on the moon'_

Another of them dancing at the harvest festival, one of them on her porch another of her studying and cataloging rocks for Dr. Wallace. One of them with Zoe in the middle all three of them smiling at the camera with Zoe's face covered with fruit. Her sister had liked him. She turns the small object off her hands shaking as she reaches for the video chip, pulling out her data pad she turns it on and waits for a moment as the picture shows an empty room before he appears on the screen. Mark as the last time she saw him dressed for combat, anxious but determine.

"So," he dragged the word out. "We just had a small fight a few minutes ago," his voice rings out in her room, a self-conscious laugh passing his lips. "Our first, but we made up sorta so that's good right? I know you want me to stay behind and as much as I want to I wouldn't be keeping my promise if I did."

_'I'm not going to let anything happen to you.'_

"This video will seem silly when I get back." He laughs again, pausing as in the background a voice calls out telling him it's almost time to leave, she watches as he responds before turning back to the camera. "I'm probably sitting next to you right now, embarrassed that we're watching this, but I…"

He sighs as he looks down at his hands and then back at the lens. "I guess I just want to make sure. Things are bad right now and if something happens I just want you to know, how much you mean to me, Maddy."

The door to her room opens but she doesn't acknowledge her father as he walks in, she simply watches as the boy she loves looks back at her.

He gives a half smile as his cheeks turn pink laughing at himself once more, running his hand through his hair. "You mean everything to me, first time I saw you I was in awe that someone could be as beautiful as you and your father is going to kill me because I promised I would wait but I want you to know that when I look at you all I see is forever. The box with this video is a promise of that and the life I want with you. When I think of a perfect life, all I see is you."

"I love you Maddy," he says softly into the video. "Try not to tease me to much about this later, okay?"

_'Not tonight'_

She feels the wetness on her face as the video ends and reaches for the small box as her father silently sits next her. Opening the box a sob leaves her mouth, in it is a simple ring made of twine, a small polished stone resting on top of it.

"He declared his intentions," her father speaks softly, the words catching in his throat. "He said that one day he would like for you to be his wife and I…"

"Gave him a hard time," she finishes for him watery; he would be him if he hadn't.

He shrugs. "I'm your dad, it's my job, but I liked him Maddy."

She nods crying as she holds the ring in her palm. "I loved him Daddy."

_'Not ever'_

He nods in response, tears making their way down his own face as he pulls her to his chest, holding her tight. "I know baby, I know."

She cries in her father's arms, her sobs echoing through the house, cutting into the hearts of her family. She found her soul mate at sixteen, 85 millions years in the past only to lose him.


End file.
